End Marks/Abbreviations Commas Quotation Marks Semicolons

End Marks End marks are punctuation marks that you use at the ends of sentences 1. A period (.) ends a declarative sentence. Remember, declarative sentences make a statement. A period can also end an imperative sentence, which gives a command or makes a request. 2. A question mark (?) ends an interrogative sentence, which asks a question. 3. An exclamation point (!) ends an exclamatory sentence, which is a sentence that expresses a strong feeling. It can also be used after an interjection or a command(imperative sentence) that expresses a lot of emotion.

Abbreviations A period is also used in many abbreviations, which are shortened forms of words. Initials: Juan P. RodriguezA.J. Jackson Titles: Mr. Mrs. Ms. Jr. Dr. (PLEASE NOTE: there is no period in the word “Miss”) Times: A.M. P.M. B.C. Sat. Oct. Others: etc. vs. Ave.St. Ln.

Commas A comma (,) is a punctuation mark that signals a slight pause but not a complete stop. Commas are used before a conjunction in a compound sentence. Examples: I do enjoy cooking, but directions can be confusing. Fantasy football is fun, and most of my friends have a team. ** Compound subjects (more than one subject) and compound verbs (more than one verb), DO NOT NEED COMMAS!** Examples: Sara and I have similar hobbies. We play the guitar and sing.

More commas… Commas are also used between items in a series of three or more items. Add a comma after every item except for the last one. Examples: Painting, gymnastics, and reading are my favorite books. I love dancing to rap, pop, and rock.

Using commas with quotation marks You can insert a comma to separate a direct quotation from the rest of a sentence: Examples: 1.Her teacher said, “Let’s review your homework.” (notice the placement of the period- it is inside the quotation marks) 2. “I love to fly,” said the excited young girl. (notice the location of the comma-inside the quotation marks)

Semicolons and Colons A semicolon (;) and a colon (:) are punctuation marks that signal a pause. *Use a semicolon (;) in place of a comma and a conjunction to join independent clauses in a compound sentence. Only use a semicolon if the sentences are very closely related. Example: Felix likes the summer; Kim likes the winter.

Colons Follow these guidelines for using a colon: To introduce a list of items at the end of a complete sentence. Example: My backpack contains the following: two books, three pencils, a ruler, and my lunch. To separate the hour and minutes. Example: I have to be at the school by 7:15. To punctuate a greeting in a business letter or in an Example: Dear Mr. Wang:

Quotation Marks Quotation marks are used to enclose the exact words of a speaker and to set off certain titles. They are used at the beginning and end of a direct quotation. Periods and commas always go inside, not outside, closing quotation marks. Examples: Alyssa said, “The movie was boring.” “I liked the ending,” Max replied. “Be patient,” Max responded, “while I finish the project.”

Continued… Quotation marks are also used to enclose the titles of short works: Poems: “Dreams” Articles: “America Remembers” Songs: “Hey Jude” Short Stories: “Eleven” Book Chapters: “Maple Sugar Time”